


Silence in the Three Cities

by MohnblumenKind



Series: the White Eagle and the White Knight [3]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Angst, Gen, Historical Hetalia, Polish-Lithuanian War, World War II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-04-18 01:48:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14202366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MohnblumenKind/pseuds/MohnblumenKind
Summary: Three different places, three different years. Two times we see Poland after he won a war, and once it was the beginning of the defeat. His thoughts returned to Lithuania.





	Silence in the Three Cities

**Author's Note:**

> Since this is all from Poland's point of view, I tried to fit anything into his perspective. That means his statements and those of the others don't reflect my opinion or historic facts, but rather the mood and tendencies of this time (as far as I understood them in historic research papers).
> 
> The first part might be easier to understand with the one-shot "Meeting Again" from this series, since it happens minutes before the first situation here (and therefore is the reason for Lithuania's behaviour). But you don't need it.

_1920 – Vilnius_

* * *

Poland was sitting at the steps in front of the bell-tower of the Vilnius cathedral, supervising his brave Polish soldiers gathering in the city. A smile tugged at his lips. He liked the sight of his victorious, loyal army. Poland closed his eyes for a second, breathing in the cold air. He could almost smell the upcoming winter. It was nice to breath free. He loved the city. In his mind he traced the familiar streets and buildings, caressed the beloved memories. The majority of habitants were Poles, his children, and he could feel their hearts beating.  
It was a shame that the city had a large Jewish minority. That was unfavorable in his opinion, but might be solvable. He had nothing in particular against them, but the point was loyalty. He knew he could trust his catholic Polish citizens with his life. They would die for him freely as he would die for them. But as far as the Jews were concerned, he doubted their loyalties strongly. This uncertainty was even worse than his problems with the Ukrainian minority whose loyalties clearly lay with the separatist movements. At least then he knew what to watch out for. He took a deep breath and looked up at the clear blue sky. That were problems for another day. He would not have guessed that being a nation again would lead to troubles like this.

His mind returned to his former husband. He had left Lithuania injured in the castle but suspected that he would not have stayed there. Suddenly, his heart clenched and he shook his head softly to get rid of his thoughts. He could not concentrate on that now.

Poland's green eyes scanned the square. Upon falling on a stern officer, he sprung to action. Getting up he excitedly skipped towards him.  
“Grandfather!” Poland exclaimed happily.  
“We have secured the city!”  


The old commandant looked at him and nodded kindly.  
“You've done well,” the commander said, a rare shadow of a smile ghosting over his face.  
The blond nation gave him an admiring look. But then the green eyes darkened immediately. He reconsidered his thoughts for a moment but decided that he would need to trust his leader.  
“Commandant, can I have a word?” Poland asked respectfully. His tone was promptly noticed by the officer, whose concentration focused completely on the young man. On the other hand, the commandant did rarely divert his attention from him.  
Poland took that as an agreement and continued.  
“I thought Lithuania would like the idea of a federation as much as I do. I thought that he would be happy,” the blond admitted softly.  
The commandant nodded again. “I had hoped so, too,” he said to his troubled nation. “But don't be afraid. We are strong together,” he reassured Poland firmly.  
That was granted with a bright smile by the blond.  
“Sure we are, Grandfather!” Poland declared with awe. The beaming smile showed utter devotion, as he followed Marshal Piłsudski.

_1921 – Riga_

* * *

He looked through the treaty again. It looked fine. The war had lead to a glorious victory. He was happy that he was finally able to secure his borders. It had been a close call, the Red Army had already besieged Warsaw. But he hadn't given up. His children called it a miracle, some with awe, some with irony, but he did not care. The white eagle had claws and it had demonstrated its strength.

Over all Poland was very content. He just wished he could share his success and joy with someone. Looking around between the other nations he knew he could only count on France. Romania was on friendly terms with him, too, but that was all. He dearly missed Lithuania. But his former partner refused to talk to him. He had tried to contact him, but since Poland had taken Wilno, Lithuania refused any contact.

Poland missed his friend. He wasn't used to silence. It was not like he had had any power during the last century or was allowed to raise his voice, but he had made it always very clear to the partitioning powers what he thought about each one of them.

But Lithuania was silent.

Poland decided that he disliked being ignored a lot. At least even negative attention meant that the other had to think about him, care enough to react. He hadn't liked Prussia's kind of attention and reaction in particular, but it proved that the Pole was alive and that he knew how to infuriate the albino.  
No reaction at all – that was what Lithuania decided upon. Not a word, not a single glance. As if Poland would not exist at all.  
That hurt. He had fought for his existence for so long.

“You can't just ignore me!” he screamed into the silence, but Lithuania proved him wrong.

His heart clenched.

_1939 – Warsaw_

* * *

Poland coughed and spat blood. That was bad. Another kick struck him into his chest. All air left his lungs and send his head spinning. He curled into a small ball, his lungs burning, pain shooting trough his body. But he could not stay here on the ground, let that happen. He needed to get up, need to protect his people.  
Swaying, he hurled himself up to his feet, forcing his hurting limbs to stay under his control. He would not back down and would not kneel in front of his enemy. Raising his gaze, he looked at Germany, towering above him. Even standing he had to look up to him which somehow bugged him more than the physical blows.

He clenched his hands into fists, preparing for another attack by the German.

A sharp pain exploded between his shoulder blades and pierced right in his heart. He stumbled forward, not expecting danger from behind, being totally unprepared. His knees buckled, his resolution to keep standing completely forgotten as he fell forward again.

“You are late,” Germany stated as a matter of fact, displeasure clearly audible.  
“I hadn't the impression that you needed me,” a soft voice innocently said.  
The German didn't deem this worthy for an answer and just narrowed his eyes at someone outside of Poland's vision.  
The kneeling blond looked over his shoulder to see Russia looming behind him. In his hands was a blade, red with blood. Poland wanted to spit some nasty words into his direction, but his vision blurred and he needed all his concentration to stay conscious.

When he refocused, his eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat. Just behind Russia he could discern a familiar brunette.  
_Lithuania!_ Poland thought, his heart fluttering, mind filled with hope.

He remembered sunnier days and a battlefield between blue sky and soft, green hills. Lithuania had saved him back then, when Prussia had nearly killed him. His strong and loyal friend had returned under his proud red banner, just like the white knight it showed. Poland lifted his hand towards him but had to cough blood again. When he rose his eyes to his friend again, he tried to lock their eyes. But Lithuania didn't look at him. His gaze was fixed at Russia, however, he did not move. There was no way either of the two other nations would not have noticed Lithuania by now, yet no one seemed surprised.

“Liet?” Poland tried softly to catch his attention.  
The green eyes flickered to him for a second, it was almost too fast to catch. Sadness crossed Lithuania's face but his gaze returned to Russia. The Soviet Union laughed softly at this display.  
“He won't help you, little Poland,” he announced, amusement apparent on his lips, but his eyes oddly cold.  
Ice formed in Poland's stomach, blocking out the pain in his body. The world turned into a very dark and cold place.

Russia did not seem to notice his distress and turned to Lithuania.  
“Be a good boy and leave,” he demanded, his voice and face deprived from the childlike carelessness it so often displayed.  
Lithuania took a step back and then hesitated. He half turned to Poland, but kept his eyes on the Russian.  
“You promised not to hurt him,” he whispered with a slightly accusing tone.  
Russia's smile returned.  
“ _Nyet_ ,” the larger nation stated. “I said I won't kill him.”  
Lithuania sucked in a sharp breath and his face paled.  
“Anyway, I can't speak for my friend over there…” Russia continued merciless, his voice trailing off, full of dark promises.  
They looked at each other for another moment, then Lithuania turned sharply and left without a glance back.

Poland did not move as he watched his former husband, his love, leave. He did not understand what this display meant. His body was so cold.

This time Russia seemed to notice his incomprehension.  
He bowed down to the blond and whispered softly: “When I visited him, he did hesitate and acted all coyly, but then I promised Wilnjus to him, accompanied with some threats, and he finally agreed to be a nice boy.” The words echoed in Poland's head over and over again. The ice in his stomach had reached his hands that started to feel numb and useless. Or maybe it was the blood-loss whose toll had to be paid.

“ _Geschieht dir recht_ ,” Germany sneered. Poland had almost forgotten him and was thrown back into reality. “You should not have been so egoistic.”

Poland shook his head softly and clenched his fists, trying to get feeling into them. He did not understand. He hadn't been egoistic. All he had ever done was reaching out for what was supposed to be his. What had already been his before. Where his loyal children lived. He had to protect them. It was not his fault that Lithuania disagreed with another marriage, that there were Lithuanians living in these areas as well. He would have protected them, too, as long as they would have been loyal. Was it egoistic to defend himself? To defend his beloved children?

Why was the wish to be alive egoistic?

**Author's Note:**

> Vilnius (Lithuanian) = Wilnjus (Russian) = Wilno (Polish) = Wilna (German). The Lithuanian capital. The Second Polish Republic occupied the city in 1920 (officially Poland declared that it was a Lithuanian riot). 1922 the city and the surrounding area “decided” to be incorporated into Poland. Vilnius was occupied by the Red Army on 19 September 1939 and on 10 October the city was given to Lithuania (as promised). A year later the country was occupied and incorporated into the Soviet Union.
> 
> The Jews – Poland doesn't think he is anti-Semitic. “I have nothing against them...” is kind of like the modern “I am not racist, but...”. There is an historic discussion as to how much anti-Semitic Poland was during that time. “Solvable” is a hint to the politics of the late 1930s, where the emigration of the Jews was seen as the solution to the large Jewish minority in Poland. Anyway, it is quite clear that independent from the question about Anti-Semitism, the horrors of the Second Word War were initiated mainly by the Nazis.
> 
> Grandfather – The Polish soldiers called Piłsudski kindly commandant or grandfather as a nick-name. He is to Poland what old Fritz is to Prussia or Bismarck to Germany: The founder of their nation and the strong, cherished leader. As far as I know he took no part in the Polish-Lithuanian-War, but the federation and the borders of the old Republic were the goals of his policy, so I thought he could turn up here. And I had no intention of introducing minor generals instead of this famous man.
> 
> Miracle – the battle at Warsaw 1920 was called a miracle by the Polish people. It was the deciding battle in the Polish-Soviet-War. Originally those that where not in favour of Piłsudski (who had lead the Polish army) called it a miracle to demonstrate the surprising victory and near-death experience of the newly formed nation. Nonetheless, this term lost its irony over the time, so it was used positively as well (for Catholics miracles are nothing bad). 
> 
> Lithuania ignoring Poland – Lithuania refused any diplomatic contact during the inter-war time with Poland due to the continued occupation of its capital.
> 
> Warsaw in 1939 – first the German Reich attacked Poland on September 1st, then the Soviet Republic joined on the 17th. This partnership was decided in the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact on 23 August 1939.
> 
> Nyet (Russian) - No
> 
> Geschieht dir recht (German) – “Serves you right”. That could be a connected to Lithuania's action (Poland attacked him, therefore, Lithuania did not help him). But there is more: Germany thought that the Treaty of Versailles was unfairly due to the high payments and lost land and Poland was the main beneficiary of the treaty. The German territory was separated into two parts and the land way through Poland was not freely accessible. The border between Poland and Germany was called “bleeding border” by the Germans which emphasized the picture of a suffering country. And besides, the Nazis claimed they needed “living space” in the East for their vastly developing country, so why not simply take it away from those that were not considered to be worthy and fully human?


End file.
